Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-05-21
An Interesting Rufian.

On my visit to Batoum, writes a cor respondent of the London Nel0s, an in- cident took place which will show how law and order went on while the Turk sits gurgling the smoke through his water pipe. On the beach I came across fellow in a picturesque costume, and with one of the most fiendish faces it has ever been my chance to gaze upon. It was Mephistophelian, but then Mephis- topheles was a gentleman, and there was nothing of that kind in this case. Pure malignity could be traced in every line of the visage I had before me. Being alone, and not knowing a word of the language, 1 made signs to him that wanted to sketch, and he, like most easterns l have met, had no objections, and willingly stood for me. To be made into a picture seems to touch whatever vanity there may be, and this brute had touch of that in him. While the sketching was going on, our interpreter came ashore with some others of our party, and at my re- quest inquiries were begun as to who my model might be. He stated that he was Kurd, and had come down from the mountains about some business He cracked, picked, and ate walnuts while the sketching and questioning went on. He had small gun which rested on his arm. Talking to him about it, the interpreter chanced to ask why he had not a sword or a dagger, to which he replied that he did not re- quire them; It was not his way of doing things. ''What things?' was the nat ural inquiry. 'Of killing people," ''Oh. you kill people. do you?" s'Yes." ..How de you kill them?" 'I stand concealed behind a rock on the road and wait till travellers come up, and when they are close l shoot them'' "Wnat for do you shoot them?'' .'To get whatever they have upon them" F'Then you rob all that you kill?'' ''Yes." "How many have you killed in your timeP'' Thirteen men and three Russians" Why he placed the Rus unfortunately, not cleared up. 1 re- gretted afterward that this point was left so, but at the moment such a trife did not seem of any importance in comparison to the astounding disclos- ures this piece of humanity was mak- ing. All the time there was we'll pleased simper on his face, while he nibbled away at the walnuts The simper, supposed, resulted from that satisfaction he felt that his picture was being made. "Where are you going when you leave Batoump' "When my business is finished l will return to the mountains again. "What will you do there?" "Oh. please God, I hope to shoot the first traveller 1 see, and take whatever he has got" twill be easily understood that such an incident would fix itself in ones mind. The sSetching of the scoundrel, and his remorseless face, all helped to engrave the whole deep into the memory. stood on the same spot last year, where l had sketched this man, and the recollection helped me to give force to the contrast This brute's character must have been known in the place. He did not seem to make any secret of his doings, and yet he walked about free and no one seemed to think about him. The kadi of Batoum, no doubt good Turk, would sit smoking his chibook while this man walked about and returned to the mountains, as was his way" to continue his trade of murder and rob- bery.